Display device.



No 780,376., PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

S. NEWMAN & H. R. ,BOTHWELL. 1 I

DISPLAY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 2 1904.

UNirnn STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

"P TE T OFFIOE.

sAMUEL NEWMAN AND HENRY R. BOTHWELL, OF c1NoINNAT OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE NEWMAN MANnFAcToinNe- 00., OF cINoIN- NATL orno, A CORPORATION OF omo.

, DISPLAY DEVICEm SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,376 dated January 17, 1905.

2 Application filed April 27,1904. Serial lie-205,067.

.To (LZL whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAMUEL NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, and HENRY R. BOTH- WELL, a citizen of Canada, both residing in the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Display Device; and we do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description thereof, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, with the reference characters marked thereon, which form also a part Of this specification.

This invention relates to devices intend ed to serve .for displaying merchandise, goods of- The invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the device as the same,

together with its parts and operation, ishere inafter described and claimed, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which.

Figure 1 is a front-view of the device. Eig. 2 is aside view thereof, Fig.3 is a detail View, it being an enlarged portion of Fig. 2. Fig. e is a top view of the parts shown in the preceding figure. Fig. 5, in an enlarged sectional detail View, shows one of the parts used in connection with this device, it being a weight constructed in a certain manner and serving to return one of the parts of the device automatically'to normalposition. Fig. 6, at smaller scale, shows the device in front view and inclosed in a suitable case.

representsanumber of shelves supported at each of their ends by bracket arms 1.1, the upper ends (5r which latter are attached opposite each other at even-height and me manner free to swing to the'inner opposite sides of two endless carrier-chains 12. These chains are supported opposite each other on a suitable irame consisting of standards 13 at each side held to each other properly spaced apart by a suitabletie-rod 14. Suitable guide-pulleys 15 are provided on this frame to hold the chain in proper position. There-may be two such pulleys to guide the chain around each turning-point. Where the distance between the two vertical branches of a chain is not too wide, one guide-pulley sufficiently large to fill. this space would be sufficient.

, The chains maybe moved in any suitable manner,- their I motion being, of course,""a simhltaneous one and proceeding from the same'source and at the same speed. They being sprocket-chains, I use a sprocket-wheel 16 for each chain to move it, the two'wheelsbeing mounted upon a shaft l'i', supported'in hearings in the frame. Rotation of this shaft causes simultaneous and even movement of the two chains. 'fhis rotation is derived from an electrical motor 18 by suitable intermediate machine elements. As shown, .a worm on motor-shaft 1?;- drives a worm-wheel '21, the shaft or" which mounts a sprocket wheel 22, which by means of a chain 23 drives another sprocket-wheel 245 on shaft 1?.

in order to render the movement of the chains and the shelves supported by them intermittent, means are provided to stop the operation oi the motor at certain intervals, the interruption being maintained. a certain length oi time more or less, as may be arranged. By preference these stoppages, with succeeding pauses in motion, are or". equal length of time. Stoppage otthe motor is brought about by controlling the current sup-. plied to it and necessary for its operation. The arrangement and means for such purpose are as follows: The current passes through a wire into the entire device, including the chains, but excepting a rod 26., insulated therefrom at both its ends, where lb attaches to the frame of the device, as shown at 26. From one of the chains the current passes through movable contact devices into this red 26, and through it into a continuation of wire 25, (indicated at 25,) and thence into the motor. 27 is the other Wire necessary for the operation of the motor. The contact devices mentioned consist of pins 28., projecting from one tating the entire slide is taken along and moves with the chain. While the two thus move together and in contact with each other the current passes from the chain over into rod 26, and the circuit is complete which operates the motor and keeps the entire device going.

This contact is maintained as long as wheel 29 is held rigid by means of a pivotally-attached trip-lever 32, also carried by slide 31.. When, however, this trip-lever encounters a fixedlyattached stop 33, it is'caused to release wheel 29, whereupon pin 28 in its progressive motion with the chain merely turns this wheel, the resistanceofthe trip-lever having been removed, leaving slide 31 at a standstill. Thus the slide, with wheel 29, being unable to follow the progressing chain which carries pin 28 with it, it is clear that the electric contact which maintains the circuit is broken in consequence the motor ceases to operate and the shelves moved thereby are at once set at rest. The released shde is now caused to move up on rod 26 by reason of a weight 34, attached to it by means of a'rope 35, which passes over a guide-pulley 36. This return movement in opposite direction takes also the trip lever away from stop 33, allowing its notched inner end to again lock wheel 29, which it does at once. in due time as this wheel rises with the slide one of its teeth comes in contact with the next contact pin 28 above, after which, current being immediately established, the motor and device commence once to resume operations. in Fig. 2 this upper position of the slide and beginning of operation is shown in full lines. A lower position of the slide is shown in dotted lines in the same figure, it being themoment when on its downward travel it encounters stop This is not the lowest position, however, it traveling still a little farther, and, as shown in Fig. 3, this additional travel being necessary to lift the trip-lever so that it may release wheel 29. This has just occurred, as shown in said figure, and in the further progress of pin 28 wheel 29 will not share any more, but merely turning it remains behind. This separation of the two breaks the electric circuit, as be- :t'ore described. it is clear that this interruption in operation continues until weight 34: has raised the slide up to its highest position, when electrical contact is again reestablished. ()rdina'rily this would not be. very long, and therefore where it is desirable that the stop.- page continue fora longer period this time interval may be lengthened by retarding the upward movement of the slide. This is best done by checking the drop of the weight, and

we accomplish such by causing this latter to move against a suitable liquid, which it must displace in its progress. This liquid, which may be water or an oil, is contained in a tubular vessel 37, into which this weight fairly fits. It has a vertical bore contracted between the ends so as to form a seat 38 for a check 39, loosely fitted into this bore below this seat. This check is confined within the weight by a cross-bar ll across the lower end of the bore. When the weight descends, this check, preferably of light material, like wood, is driven against. seat 38 and nearly closes the contracted opening therethrough. It leaves it open, however, to the extent of what may pass through a small grooved channel 42 in the upper beveled end of the check. it is clear now that the weight in order to descend must first displace the liquid below it, and this displacing is retarded by the small opening provided for its .passage from the space below the weight into the space above it. When moving in the other directionthat is, when raised by the slide while this latter is propelled by the moving chain-this resistance is lessened by reason of check 39 dropping away from its seat and resting against bar 41, whereby a larger passage is opened for the liquid. For purpose of providing this largerpassage check 39 is preferably triangular, so that when occupying the lower part of the cylindrical bore in the weight considerable free space is provided at the three sides. (Observe dotted lines in Fig. 5, indicating profile.)

Chance for regulating the duration of movement and point of stoppage of the shelves is had by changing the position of stop 33, which is adjustably attached to the frame. The entire device may be set behind an opening restricted so to show only the space between two shelves, or it may be inclosed by a case 43, as shown in Fig. 6, and in front of which an opening i is provided as long as the space between the two chains and as high as the space between two shelves. This opening may be subdivided by frames 45, the resulting openings to be utilized in different ways-as, for instance,fordisplaying advertising matter.

Rods on which articles might be suspended would of course constitute the equivalent of shelves. Either might be used exclusively or both simultaneously, shelves alternating with rods.

Having described our invention, we claim as new, 1

1. In a display device, the combination of a series of. shelves, two endless carrier-chains, guide-rollers onwhich they are supported, supports whereby these shelves are suspended on these carrier-chains, adriving-pulley which engages each chain, a shaft on which they are 'mounted, an electrical motor with intermediate machine elements whereby this shaft is rotated and means actuated by amoving part of the device whereby the electrical operation "of-the motor is controlled, 2, Ina display device, the combination of a series 'of shelves, two endless carrier-chains, gulde-rollers on whlch they are supported.

supports'whereby these shelves are suspended on these carrier-chains, a drivingpulley which forms apart, an insulated rod forming also part of these conductors, a slide mounted on this rod, a contact piece on the slide, a con tact-piece, one for each shelf, on the chain, both so arranged that one may engage the other, after which, while traveling together,

an electrical circuit which operates the motor is completed, mechanism to break this engagement and aweight to return this slide to a position for succeeding engagements by the next contact-piece on the chain.

3. In a display device, the combination of a.

series of shelves, two endless carrier-chains, guide-rollers on which they are supported,

supports whereby these shelves are suspended on these carrier-chains, a d riving-pulley which engages each chain, a shaft on which they are mounted, an electrical motor with intermediate machine elements whereby this shaft is rotated, conductors to supply current to the motor and 1 of which conductors the chain forms a part, an insulatedrod forming also a part of these conductors, a slide mounted on this rod, a contact-piece on the slide, a contact-piece, one for. each shelf, on the chain,

both so arranged that one may engage the other, after whieh, while-traveling together, an electrical circuit which operates the motor is completed, means'to separate the contactpieces, a weight to return this slide to a position for engagement by thenext contact-piece and means to retard the drop of this weight.

4:. In a display device, the combination of a series of shelves, two endless carrier-chains, guide-rollers on which they are supported, supports whereby these shelves are suspended on these carrier-chains, a driving-pulley which engages each chain, a shaft on which they are mounted, an electrical motor with intermediate machine .elements whereby this shaft is rotated, conductors to supply current to the motor and of which conductors the chain.

forms apart, an insulated rod forming also part of these conductors, a slide fitted to this rod, a-toothed wheel carried on this slide, contact-pins, one for each shelf, projecting from oneof the chains. and so arranged as to be carried thereby against the toothed wheel,

locking means to temporarily prevent rotation of this wheel so thatwhile both travel together and in contact an electrical circuit which operates the motor is completed, a stop projecting in thepath of the traveling slide adapted to act upon the locking means in a manner to release the toothed wheel thereby disengaging the slide and permitting the chain to proceed without it and a weight to return the slide to a position for succeeding engage- .ment by the next pin on the chain.

5. In a display device, the combination ofa series of shelves, two endless carrier-chains,

. guide-rollers on which they are supported,

supports whereby these shelves are suspended on these carrier-chains, a driving-pulley which engages each chain, a shaft on which theyare mounted, an electrical motor with intermediate machine elements wherebythis shaft is rotated, conductors to supply current to the motor and of which conductors the chain forms a part, an insulated rod forming also a part of these conductors, a slide mounted on this rod, a contact-piece on the slide, a contact-piece, one for each shelf, on the chain,

both so arranged that one may engage the other after which, while traveling together and inicoutact, an electrical circuit'which operates the motor is completed, means to separate the contact-pieces, a weight to return this slide to a position for engagement by the next contact-piece, a tubular vessel within which this weight moves, a passage provided through this weight permitting a liquid contained in this vessel to pass from oneside of the weight to the other and a check contained in this passage and adapted to retard the flow of the liquid for the purpose as shown and described. t

6. In a display device, the combination of a series of supporting devices, mechanism to move them, means by which a temporary engagement is caused with parts of this mechanism for the purpose of moving the support-' ing devices and a weight to return these means at the termination of each temporary engagement Y 7. A device to return a reciprocating machine element to a normal position for operation, thesame consisting o'fa weight connected to the said machine element in a man ner to be moved thereby in'one direction IIO and, a vessel into which this weight is fitted In testimony whereof we hereunto set our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses,

SAMUEL NEWMAN.v HENRY R. BOTHWELL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM KonL, ARTHUR KLINE. 

